


A Personnel Matter

by apolesen



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Gen, Pre-TOS - Freeform, Xenophobia, superior officers are terrible
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-19
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-12-04 04:33:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11547564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apolesen/pseuds/apolesen
Summary: The captain of the Vulcan ship USS Intrepid comes to Starfleet with a complaint about a junior officer.





	A Personnel Matter

Admiral Mayhoff had been in Starfleet for thirty-two years, but he was still not used to Vulcans. He, who prided himself with being able to read people, could never get a grip on what they thought or felt. It was with some apprehension then that he heard that Captain Solin was waiting in his office. 

He found the captain standing in the middle of the room, looking straight out of the window. Mayhoff tended to find people studying the art in his office - it was one of the reason why he had it. It put people at ease. However, Solin was not looking at anything, just directing his eyes in the direction of the outside. For all Mayhoff could tell, he was watching the glass. 

‘Captain Solin,’ he said. ‘What brings you here?’ He extended his hand. Solin looked down at it and then met his gaze. 

‘Vulcans do not shake hands, Admiral.’ 

‘Oh, yes,’ Mayhoff said, letting his hand fall. ‘Sorry.’ He rounded his desk. ‘Take the weight off, Captain.’ Solin raised an eyebrow. The admiral could never tell if that was a sign of distaste or confusion. Perhaps Vulcans were too logical to have slang in their language? ‘I mean, have a seat.’ 

‘If you wish.’ Solin sat down. 

‘I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon,’ the admiral said. ‘You picked up new crew only five months ago.’ 

‘Correct,’ Solin said, ‘but that is why I am here. One of the officers you assigned to us is unfit.’ 

‘Unfit?’ Mayhoff repeated, surprised. ‘In what way?’ 

Solin produced a PADD and put it on the desk.

‘I have received twelve official complaints. In addition, thirty-eight crew-members have approached me to complain informally. I know for a fact that there are others who share the same views.’ 

Mayhoff pulled the PADD closer, but did not unlock it. He wanted to hear this from the horse’s mouth. 

‘Is this a disciplinary matter?’ 

‘No,’ Solin said. ‘Rather one of personnel. The _Intrepid_ is a Vulcan ship, Admiral. One of the officers you assigned me is not Vulcan.’ 

Mayhoff was taken aback. 

‘Not Vulcan? What are you talking about?’ 

‘The file is on there.’ 

Mayhoff opened the PADD. A service file appeared on it. It was short - the only assignment on it was the _Intrepid_. He looked at the photograph of the officer. 

‘He looks Vulcan to me.’ 

‘He is not,’ Solin said. ‘To all intents and purposes, he is human.’ 

The admiral looked at Solin and then at the service file, confused. To him, the man in the photograph and Solin looked virtually the same, although the captain was much older. He scrolled down to the personal information.

‘Oh I see,’ he said. ‘He’s a hybrid.’ 

‘And therefore, not Vulcan,’ Solin said. 

Mayhoff leaned back in his chair and sighed. 

‘Has this…’ he double-checked the name and rank ‘…Lieutenant Spock been causing trouble? Picking fights?’ 

‘He mostly keeps to himself, but he has been known to have… emotional outbursts.’ 

‘Outbursts?’ Mayhoff repeated. 

‘I once saw him smile when we discovered a new type of plant.’

‘Smiling isn’t really an emotional outburst,’ Mayhoff said. Solin wrinkled his nose.

‘It is to a Vulcan.’ 

‘I thought you meant something more like going into hysterics,’ said the admiral. 

‘He undoubtedly has a temper,’ Solin said. ‘There have been physical altercations twice, not initiated by him but definitely provoked, if only by his emoting. He is a disruptive presence to my crew, Admiral. My men were explicitly promised that they would serve only with other Vulcans. They cannot be expected to take orders from a hybrid.’ 

All of a sudden, Mayhoff felt rather sorry for this young lieutenant. 

‘So you want him transferred.’ 

‘Yes. And I want Command to reiterate their promise to keep the Intrepid an all-Vulcan ship.’ 

‘Naturally,’ Mayhoff said. ‘Did the lieutenant beam down with you?’ 

‘He is waiting outside.’ 

‘Alright then. I’ll arrange the transfer. I just want to talk to the kid first. Alone, preferably.’ 

‘Very well.’ Solin got to his feet. ‘Thank you for your time, Admiral.’ He made a strange hand-gesture and left. Mayhoff pressed the button of the intercom. 

‘Send in Lieutenant Spock, would you?’ 

‘Yes, Admiral.’ 

The doors opened almost at once. Whatever Solin had said about the man, to Mayhoff he did not look at all human. Again, he felt sorry for him. Both humans and Vulcans found him strange. 

‘Lieutenant Spock – come in. Have a seat.’ 

‘I would prefer to stand, sir.’ 

The young man came to a halt a few feet from the desk. He carried himself almost like a dancer. 

‘Alright.’ Mayhoff watched him for a moment. ‘Your captain says you’re a disruptive presence on the _Intrepid_.’ 

‘My fellow officers and the crew are of that opinion, sir.’ 

‘Are they giving you a hard time?’ 

‘I do not understand what you mean, sir.’ 

‘I mean are they picking on you? Captain Solin mentioned you’d gotten into fights.’ 

‘I did not “get into fights”, sir,’ Spock said. His eyes were fixed and his chin held high. ‘All I did was defend myself.’ 

‘You mean you got beaten up.’ 

The lieutenant’s nostrils flared. 

‘Yes, sir.’

Mayhoff sighed and looked at the file he had been given. 

‘You’re a talented officer,’ he said. ‘That’s clear. You did very well at the Academy, and despite all this nonsense, Solin hasn’t come up with one example of you not doing your duty.’ 

‘I endeavour to do my best, sir.’ 

Mayhoff straightened and clasped his hands on his desk. 

‘Spock.’ 

Finally, he looked at him. For all his Vulcan composure, Mayhoff could see human worry in those eyes. 

‘Sir?’ 

‘I’m going to transfer you off the _Intrepid_ ,’ he said. ‘The _Enterprise_ needs someone in the astrophysics lab. It’s a human crew, but they’re a good bunch. I know the captain personally. He would be happy to take you on, I’m sure.’ 

Spock was quiet for a moment. 

‘That would be agreeable, sir.’ 

Mayhoff smiled. 

‘Good. Go pack your bags. I’ll let Pike know you’re on your way.’


End file.
